A Challenge To Open Left

I wrote that first "Bush Dog" post not really expecting it to go as far as it did and unfortunately I've had too much on my plate to take part in the discussion that's been sparked because of it. Now I've got a few minutes and more importantly I still believe that I'm right.

As Open Left continues their "Bush Dog" charade my earlier concerns are growing. It's gotten to the point that I now approach everything that they say with the same degree of skepticism I would if it had came from the Bush Administration. Worse, this fighting amongst ourselves has distracted us to the point where we've forgotten that the members of the Bush Administration, not moderate Democrats, are the source of these problems. On this note I'd like to issue a challenge to the administrators and users of Open Left, but first I'd like to quickly run through some of my concerns.

Despite what you think Open Left members, the burden of this falls on you. You're going up against people that were voted in by their constituents and yet the assumption on your part has been that it's those constituents that must play defense on this. This logic is fundamentally flawed. You're the prosecution, the burden of proof falls on you. Before you created a list of Reps. that you labeled "Bush Dogs" it was on your hands to make sure the research was done. Instead you've published your conclusions and demanded that people prove you wrong.

Both Space and Wilson have changed their positions on Iraq since the vote you've cited, even basic research would have told you that much. As for FISA I know Wilson is eager to reconsider it when the act expires. But instead of approaching this rationally and finding out just where things stand you've opted to be impulsive and reckless, perhaps enough so that you've done more damage to your cause than good. 

You've also thrown around poll numbers like they are irrefutable proof that your in the right. If these poll numbers are as accurate as you seem to claim they are then why do we even have elections? Why don't we just poll 10% of the people in an area and save ourselves some cash?

And last but not least, you've mislead people. I've heard several times that this is just research and that you aren't planning on trying to find primary challenges to these people. Yet the most recent Bush Dog post (promoted by Chris Bowers" contains the following:

One obvious conclusion from all the above is that generically the best prospects for running primary challenges, if it comes to that, are against the 6 newbies Bush Dogs in safe districts:  Wilson (OH-06), Salazar (CO-03), Cuellar (TX-28), Costa (CA-20), Boren (OK-02), Lipinski (IL-03).

These six are the safest seats from a partisan perspective, but the least entrenched officeholders, from a primary potential perspective.

Not planning on primary challenges? For some reason I'm not convinced.

Now the challenge itself:

Are you all prepared to try to continue this campaign in it's current form? Are you willing to stake your reputations on the fact that your campaign is both justified and the right path to your goal?

Consider it thoroughly because this could be your last chance for second thoughts before your plan goes too far to turn back. Are you prepared for the consequences that may result from it? I'm not asking you to sit around and pretend your happy about the votes of the Representatives, I'm just asking you to consider other options first.

In any case I'm done with this waste of time.

More Thoughts On The "Bush Dog" Debacle

Of all the things I've learned about politics, I think the hardest thing for me to grasp is that politics is really nothing more than a refined form of finding compromises. That's it, that's the big secret that greases the gears of our political system. It's such a simple concept and yet it seems so hard to do. People believe that to reach a compromise they have to abandon their beliefs. Instead they need to be approaching a compromise as the first step towards getting what they want. It's about getting all that you realistically can rather than wasting everyone's time trying to get the impossible.

What happens when someone refuses to compromise? Look no farther than the White House. They've continually refused to work with anyone they disagree with and because of that they've become one of the least popular administrations in history.

A second case of refusing to compromise is Open Left's "Bush Dog" campaign. They're calling it research but don't fall for that lie. They announced their conclusion when they decided to post a list of Representative's that they call the "Bush Dogs". They want to get rid of anyone that won't vote the way they want regardless of the fact that their constituents elected them.

Let me put it this way, Charlie Wilson is my Representative. I voted for him in '06 and I'll vote for him again in '08. Furthermore every other Democrat in this district that I've shown that list to has found it offensive. There's your research, take his name off the list.

It's been my position all along that we should have patience. They put a six month sunset clause on the FISA act, and I doubt that they would do that without having a good reason.

Open Left Seeks to Meddle With Ohio Representatives

I wasn't around the blogs during last years primary mess but I'm still learning to hate the national blogs. Matt Stoller, Chris Bowers, and the other members of Open Left have decided to launch a campaign against the following Democratic members of the House of Representatives that they've dubbed the "Bush Dogs", a play on the Blue Dogs.

• Jason Altmire, PA-04
  
• Brian Baird, WA-03
  
• John Barrow, GA-12
  
• Melissa Bean, IL-08
  
• Dan Boren, OK-02
  
• Leonard Boswell, IA-03
  
• Alan Boyd, FL-02
  
• Chris Carney, PA-10
  
• Ben Chandler, KY-06
  
• Jim Cooper, TN-05
  
• Jim Costa, CA-20
  
• Bud Cramer, AL-05
  
• Henry Cuellar, TX-28
  
• Lamar Davis, TN-04
  
• Joe Donnelly, IN-02
  
• Chet Edwards, TX-17
  
• Brad Ellsworth, IN-08
  
• Bob Etheridge, NC-02
  
• Bart Gordon, TN-06
  
• Stephanie Herseth, SD-AL
  
• Baron Hill, IN-09
  
• Nick Lampson, TX-22
  
• Dan Lipinski, IL-03
  
• Jim Marshall, GA-08
  
• Jim Matheson, UT-02
  
• Mike McIntyre, NC-07
  
• Charlie Melancon, LA-03
  
• Colin Peterson, MN-07
  
• Earl Pomeroy, ND-AL
  
• Ciro Rodriguez, TX-23
  
• Mike Ross, AR-04
  
• John Salazar, CO-03
  
• Heath Shuler, NC-11
  
• Vic Snyder, AR-02
  
• Zack Space, OH-18
  
• John Tanner, TN-08
  
• Gene Taylor, MS-04
  
• Tim Walz, MN-01
  
• Charlie Wilson, OH-06

As you can see the list includes two Ohio Rep.'s, Zack Space and Charlie Wilson.

Now it's one thing for people who know the district to complain, it's another for someone that knows absolutely nothing to start meddling around. Sure Space and Wilson haven't always voted the way we've wanted but have they looked at their districts? Space's is set to be one of the most competitive in the nation next year the way it is, a Democratic revolt will surely lead to the district falling into Republican hands. Space has also done an exemplary job of handling other issues that are just as important, though not as headline grabbing.

As for Wilson I'll be the first to admit that I've had my complaints. I'll also go on to tell you that he and his staff have done an excellent job of handling those complaints. I'm proud to call him my Representative and I don't much like these outsiders shoving their way into my turf.

So that said, would you consider joining me in donating to Space and Wilson's reelection campaigns in an effort to show Open Left just what you think of their plans? 

Donate: http://www.actblue.com/page/leftofohio

Source: Open Left:: Step One in The Bush Dog Campaign: Creating a Public Record

Space Asks Bush To Stop Playing Politics With Children

Freshman Democratic Rep. Zack Space of the 18th district wrote a letter to President Bush today over Bush's recent threats to veto the CHAMP Act (H.R. 3162). In the letter, which is reprinted below, Space says that a veto would be a "short-sighted political maneuver" and urges Bush to reconsider.

The CHAMP Act is an extension to the 1997 SCHIP Act that provides health care to children in low income families.

August 22, 2007

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am very disappointed with your threat to veto H.R. 3162, the Children's Health and Medicare Protection (CHAMP) Act of 2007, which would extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) beyond its scheduled expiration in September.  Such a decision to effectively gut this program would be an insult to the millions of American parents who can’t afford health insurance for their young children.

SCHIP is an absolutely critical link in our nation’s health care system.  In my home state of Ohio alone, SCHIP covers 145,000 children.  This program was always supposed to be above politics.  When this program was created in 1997, both Democrats and Republicans indicated that their sole purpose in creating SCHIP was to provide health insurance to children who would not otherwise have the access to care they need in their formative years. 

No child should ever be the victim of the financial circumstances of his or her parents.  Elected officials who are committed to the health and well-being of our children hopefully understand that.

A veto of this legislation would be, to be blunt, a short-sighted political maneuver.  Should legislation that would renew SCHIP fail because of a Presidential veto, nearly seven million children would suddenly be without access to health services this fall.  Such an occurrence would be nothing short of disastrous.

I find it hard to believe that a President committed to reducing the number of uninsured would jeopardize health care for the children of working American families.  As you said less than a month ago, “America's health care is too costly, it's too confusing; it leaves too many people uninsured.”  Yet just weeks later, you are threatening to fundamentally revoke access to insurance for millions of children.  Your reversal on this issue is nothing short of stunning.

Furthermore, your recent effort to restrict the ability of states to create their own policies for SCHIP demonstrates a profound lack of respect for the rights of states to create regulations that best suit their needs.  SCHIP was designed to allow states to implement the program in a manner that is most effective for their respective populations.  Your intrusion on their policymaking capabilities only further stymies the efforts of Congress and the states to provide children from working families access to health care.

I hope that you will reconsider your position on this critical legislation.  This legislation is absolutely essential to not only millions of uninsured American children, but also surely to any politician who has always prided himself on his compassion.

Sincerely,

Zack Space
Member of Congress

A press release from Space's office included the following additional remarks.

“The fact that our President is willing to play games with the lives of our nation’s children is absolutely unconscionable. Members from both parties voted to support strengthening and improving our children’s health insurance program.  Yet the President has chosen to make this a political issue, choosing the health of insurance companies over the health of our children.

“Even now, before the President has had a chance to veto the legislation, he is trying to strangle it with red tape.  The children of Ohio deserve better, and I have made that very clear to him."

Update: The press release is now up online here.

Rep. Space Proposes Rural Commuter Tax Break

Who says only Republicans create tax breaks? Democrat Zack Space is preparing to introduce legislation giving rural commuters tax breaks tied to high gas prices.

“People who live in rural areas simply do not have a choice when it comes to transportation. We must drive everywhere, and that is becoming increasingly expensive. If we are going to create economic opportunity and keep Ohio prosperous, we have to make it affordable for our workers to get to work.

“This legislation will make commuting those long distances to work more affordable. Making ends meet is getting harder and harder every day, and painfully high gas prices are adding to the problem. We can make life just a little easier for our working families by reducing their tax burden when gas prices skyrocket. This is an essential investment in our workforce."

--Zack Space

According to the press release, eligible individuals will get a $100 tax break for every month that gas goes over $3/gallon. For a person to qualify they must meet the following requirements.

• The household income does not exceed the national median income
• The individual lives at least 30 miles from his or her primary place of employment
• The individual commutes to and from work at least 4 days/week

Stay Together For The Kids: Part 2

I know that I promised this earlier but things have taken a lot longer than I expected.

Just to get everyone caught up, I wrote a post a little while back about an attempt to split my local school district (Switzerland of Ohio Local School District).

Since then my school board has succeeded in passing a new resolution reading:

Be it here resolved that the Switzerland of Ohio Local School Board acting in the best interest of all students in the district directs its administrative team to continue to fully comply, cooperate, and disclose all information needed to facilitate the Ohio Department of Education feasibility study of the deconsolidation of the district in a timely and forthright manner.

Whereas the Board is in favor of increasing local control and local commitment to schools so as to move the district forward in a progressive manner such that students can continue to be offered an education which is competitive with other area schools the board resolves to leave no stone unturned in pursuit of moving the district toward modern facilities and opportunities in our local communities.

Whereas the district has struggled the last thirty plus years to gain consensus and support for educational opportunities for our children this board elected by taxpayers in favor of deconsolidation resolves to support local control of schools.

That's a little bit backwards from how I've been taught about how to write a resolution. I always thought the "Be it resolved..." part came last.

Anyway's, the resolution passed by a vote of 4-1 without even being read aloud (audio of the vote can be heard below) or being passed out to the people attending the meeting. I was only able to read it after the vote took place.

The state board of education is currently conducting a fast track feasibility study on the plan (something they've refused to do as recently as 2005) and a decision is expected to be announced during their September meeting. Though many local and state officials have said that they can't imagine the plan could be considered feasible many important issues have to wait until the decision is announced.

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Charlie Wilson Heading To The Middle East

Sixth district Rep. Charlie Wilson announced yesterday that he'll be visiting Iraq sometime this September.

“We will be visiting with soldiers. I thought it would be much better to bring back a first-hand understanding of what is happening there.

“I asked to go. It’s the only way that I can find out information and see for myself what is going on. I will feel much more comfortable making decisions about the war after this.

“The war is the biggest problem we face. Once we move past that, we can move forward and get some things going.

“The Democrats would be receiving much better credit for what’s been happening in Washington if not for the war.”

--Charlie Wilson

On the weeklong trip, which Wilson requested to join, he will be accompanied by about 15 other House member.

Source: The Times Leader (Dead link)

Update: Wilson has left for the region, you can read more here.

Matt Is Back

Okay, I guess I need to be more specific because almost every Republican blogger in Ohio is named Matt. I'm referring to former Lincoln Logs blogger Matt Dole.

If you don't remember Matt closed up shop about a month ago because he had taken a new job. Well it's now been revealed that Matt's new job is to post at Communications Counsel's new blog, "Unsolicited Advice" (Feed).

Once again I wish him the best of luck with his new endeavor.

H/T: Jill at "Writes Like She Talks".

Local Miner Among The 6 Injured Utah Rescuers

This is actually the second time I've wrote this post. I've know about this since early Friday morning but I have absolutely no desire to be the one that breaks this story.

I've heard from a reliable source that one of the 6 Utah mine rescue workers injured late Thursday was actually on employee of one of Murray Energy's two Southeastern Ohio coal mines. I don't know anything about this persons injuries but I've been told they are serious. He is recovering in a Utah hospital.

As I said above, I'm holding off on posting this until it's reported by someone else. I know the family and at least some of the persons coworkers have been notified but I'd still like to play it safe.